Dishwasher



Oct. 6, 1959 c. F. ABRESCH 2,907,335

DISHWASHER Filed Feb. 1, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN 1 "EN TOR.

Care] E Abuse/1 Oct. 6, 1959 I c. F. ABRESCH 2,907,335

DISHWASHER Filed Feb. 1, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Cm) E Abresch BY MM HI! ATTORNIY ,Oct. 6, 1959 c. F. ABRESCH DISHWASHER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1, 1956 u 9 ME Q3 HI! ATTORNEY Oct. 6, 1959 c. F. ABRESCH 2,907,335

DISHWASHER Filed Feb. 1, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I r 96 I M INVEN TOR.

Care) 5' Abrescb Z2? 7 I BY H/i ATTORIJEY United States .l atent @fice Patented Oct. 6, 1959 DISHWASHER Carel F. Abresch, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 1, 1956, Serial No. 562,774

1 Claim. (Cl. 134-176) This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to dishwashing machines.

This application is a continuation in part of the follow- I ing copending applications: S.N. 262,226, filed December 18, 1951, which issued on February 14, 1956, as Patent 2,734,520; S.N. 453,462, filed September 1, 1954; S.N. 547,480, filed November 17, 1955, now abandoned; and S.N. 556,613, filed December 30, 1955.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, effective counter top dishwashing machine adapted to be placed on or at the back of a counter top work surface of a kitchen base cabinet or similar structure resting upon the floor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a counter top dishwashing machine of a suitable size to be placed on or at the back of a counter top work surface beneath conventional overhanging wall cabinets providing compartments above the counter. top.

These and other objects are attained by providing a long, relatively narrow and low dishwashing machine having doors upon one long vertical side opening into a dishwashing compartment. In the dishwashing compartment intermediate the top and bottom and parallel to the doors, there is provided a rotatable spray tube. Above the spray tube, there are provided fixed racks for holding receptacles in inverted positions at angles to receive into their interiors the direct spray from the tube. In the lower rack, there are provided arrangements for supportingplates transversely to the spray tube. The circulating and control mechanism are provided in a mechanism compartment at one end of the cabinet.

' line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical view showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 2.

j Figure 6 is a view partly diagrammatic showing the doors and a door operating linkage.

Figure 7 is a view in elevation, partly in section, showing a modification with vertical glass sliding doors.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a portion of a kitchen including a series of base cabinets 18 provided with acounter top 20 containing a sink 22 over which there is a faucet 24. At one end of the cabinet structure there is provided a wall type oven 26. At the right side of this oven on 1 top of one of the base cabinets there is a range top 28 at 2 counter top height. Beneath the counter top 20, the sink22, the wall oven 26 and the range top 28, are base cabinets providing storage compartments extending nearly .to the floor; Spaced a convenient height above the counter top are Wall cabinets 30 providing storage compartments extending upwardly to the ceiling.

Supported on and located at the back of the portion of the counter top 32 between the sink 22 and the range top 28 is my improved counter topdishwashing machine 34. It is located beneath the upper wall storage cabinet 30. This dishwashing machine 34 includes a dishwashing compartment 36 containing a rotatable spray tube 38 and a dish rack 40 beneath, and dish racks 42 and 43 above, as shown in Figure 2. The dishwashing machine includes a cabinet composed of top and bottom walls 46 and 48, end walls 50 and 52, a rear wall 54 and upper and lower outwardly opening front doors 56 and 58 forming and closing the front wall of the dishwashing compartment 36! This compartment 36 is enclosed within the walls 46 to 52 by a tub 44 having a sloping bottom 95. A vertical partition wall60 divides the dishwashing compartment 36 andthe enclosing tub 44 from a mechanism compartment 62.

The mechanism compartment 62 includes an inlet pipe 64 connecting with an electrically operated inlet valve 66 discharging through the partition wall 60 into the dishwashing chamber 36. This mechanism compartment 62 also includes a timer controller 68 for controlling the dishwashing operations. Also, in the machinery compartment is a double ended electric motor 70 arranged with its shaft vertical and provided with a centrifugal pump 72 at its lower end and an air circulating pump 74 at its upper end. The motor 70 is provided with laterally extending brackets 71 bolted through a rubber mounting to the spaced braced supports 73.

The inlet of the pump 72 is connected by a flexible hose'76 to the lower portion of a sump 78 provided in the dishwashing compartment beneath the lower rack 40. The sump 78 is provided with a strainer screen 79 covering the connection to the hose 76. The outlet of the pump 72 is connected by a hose 80 to the spray tube inlet fitting 82 which extends through the partition wall 60' and connects to one end of the perforated rotatable spray tube 38. This inlet fitting also provides a rotatable bearing support for one end of the tube and preferably has a tangentially located inlet and a helical wall for imparting a helical flow to the Water flowing into the tube so as to rotate the-tube 38. The tube 38 extends horizontally through the dishwashing compartment beneath the upper rack 42 and above the lower rack 40. At its opposite end it is provided with a bearing 84 supported by the adjacent end wall of the tub 44.

The upper rack 42 is removably supported by the hooks 86 extending from the walls of the dishwashing compartment. It is provided with three or more transverse bars supporting the longitudinal bars 88, 90, 92 and 94 extending parallel to the spray tube 38 to support cups, tumblers and receptacles as illustrated at such an angle to receive the direct spray from the tube 38 into the inverted interiors thereof. Directly above the spray tube 38 is a removable long narrow horizontal cup rack 43 for supporting cups in inverted position near the top of the dishwashing compartment. The rack 43 is formed of transverse and longitudinal bars. It is removably supported by hooks fixed to the end walls of the tub 44. The lower rack is also supported on hooks extending from the walls of the cabinet. It is provided with upwardly extending transverse bar loop supports so as to support plates transversely to the spray tube 38. The

spray tube 38 is preferably provided with outlets which spray radially and also at acute-angles to the axis of the tube in both directions. These sprays impingebn This outlet connection 121 connects through the pipe 123 to a suitable drain. Also provided is an emergency overflow pipe 99 extending forwardly from the outlet connection 121. The sump 78 is provided with a circular sheathed tubular electric heater 125 which may be used for heating the circulating water and for assisting in providing heat for drying the dishes. The sump 78 is also provided with a discharge outlet opening discharging into the outlet connection 121. This opening is adapted to be closed by the valve 127. This valve 127 is connected to the pivoted lever 129 extending through a seal in the wall of the sump and connected to a solenoid operating means 131.

' The upper door 56 is provided with a hinge 147 adjacent its upper edge connecting with the top wall 46 of the cabinet. Its lower inner edge has a downwardly extending rubber flap 133 which extends downwardly across the opening between the doors and extends into sealing contact with the lower door 58. The sealing member 133 is formed to provide an outward curl which assists in maintaining the sealing pressure to-prevent leakage out of the dishwashing tub 44. The upper portion of the lower door 58 is provided with a knob 135 by which the doors may be opened. The lower outer edge of-the lower door 58 is provided with a hinge 141 connecting to a lower fixed portionof the front wall.

The inner face of the lower door 58 is provided with a pivotal connection 143 connecting with a link 137 .ex-

tending upwardly to a pivotal connection 145 on a rearwardly projecting arm 139 near the top of the upper door 56. The connection 143 of the link 137 to the lower door is slightly closer to the hinge 141 than the pivotal connection 145 is to the hinge 147 of the upper door. The rearwardly projecting arm 139 insures that the lower door 58 will open a substantial distance before the opening of the upper door 56 and likewise the upper door 56 will be closed a substantial time before the closing of the lower door 58 in order to assure proper disengagement and engagement of the seal 133. The front perimeter of the tub 44 is provided with a continuous sealing In conjunction with the timer controller 68 this switch 163 closes the inlet valve 66 to shut on the supply to the tub 44 when it is filled to prevent any overflow.

In operation, the timer 63 controls the opening of the inlet valve 66 to initially discharge hot water from the pipe 64 into the dishwashing chamber to rinse the dishes therein. At this time, the timer 68 will hold the drain valve 127 open. After the dishes are rinsed, detergent is introduced and the timer 68closes the drain valve 127 and allows a sufficient flow of water into the chamber 36 to fill the tub 44 for the washing period. The valve 66 closes and the motor 79 is started to cause the pump 72 to draw washing water from the sump 78 and to dis charge it through the tube 80 and the fitting 32 into the spray tube 38. The spray tube 38 rotates and sprays water in heavy continuous streams radially and at acute angles into the interior of the receptacles upon the upper racks 42 and 43 and also directly on both sides of the plates on-the lower rack 40. The impingement of the spray upon the top and sidewalls insures a washing of :the outer upper surfaces of the receptacles. This circulat ing and spraying operation continues for a sufficient period of time ,until the plates and receptacles are thoroughly washed.

The drain valve 127 is then opened by the timer 68 until the washer is completely drained through the drain c0nduit 123 after which the valve 127 is closed. The

., valve 66 is then opened and a quantity of water sufiicient for rinsing purposes is discharged into the dishwashing chamber. j The motor 70 is then started to operate the pump 72 to pump the rinse water into the spray tube 38 ,.whi'ch rotates and discharges the rinse water in heavy continuous streams onto the receptacles and plates until they are thoroughly rinsed. The electric heater 125 is .in operation throughout.

After the plates and receptacles are thoroughly rinsed, the valve127 is opened to drain the rinse water from the dishwashing chamber.

The motor 70 continues in operation to operate the gasket 45 providing a sealing between the tub 44 and the upper and lower doors 56 and 58.

However, in place of this particular outwardly folding door arrangement, the sliding door arrangement shown stantially either half of the dishwashing chamber at a time or may be moved away from each other to completely close the chamber.

7 In Figure 4, another form of the invention is shown in which the sump 78 is not provided with the direct connection to a drain similar to the drain connection 123 but instead the outlet 157 of the pump 72 is provided with a two-way solenoid valve 159 having one connection connecting with a hose 160 extending to the inlet fitting 82 and a second position connecting with the drain conduit 162. The inlet of the pump 72 is also connected by the hose'76 to the strainer covered side ou'tlet'of the sump .78 as in the previously described form of Figures 1-3.

This modification also includes a pressure operated jliquidlevel switch 163 located in the sump-78.

blower.74 to blow air from the machine compartment through the partition wall 60 into the dishwashing chamber from which it is discharged from the nozzle 164. This air circulates through the dishwashing chamber and with the assistance of the heater 125 dries the receptacles and plates therein.

This dishwashing machine is simple and effective and compactand fits well in the space provided between the .upperwall storage cabinets 30 and the counter top surface 32. Its position at the side of the sink makes possible a ready movement of the dishes and receptacles directly intothe dishwashing machine, and the adjacent location of the counter top 32 makes possible the ready removal thereof,

While the form of embodiment of theinvention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claim which follows:

What is claimed is as follows:

A dishwasher including a rectangular box shaped enciosure having apartition wall near one end dividing thev interior of said enclosure into a. small machinery compartment adjacent the one end and a larger dishwashing compartment extending from said partition wall to the opposite end, substantially the entire area of one of the vertical .walls extending from said partition wall to the opposite end .being arranged as a door means extending-continuously from top to bottom to provide free and completely. open access to all parts of said larger compartment, the bottom of said larger compartment 1 diate the vertical walls between the partition wall and the opposite end, a bearing upon the vertical wall at the opposite end-of the larger compartment for rotatably References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Atkinson May 26, 1896 Sonnemann Aug. 27, 1912 6 e Frantz 'Apr. 19, 1921 Forsgard Oct. 28, 1924 Mitchell Feb. 8, 1927 Barker Apr. 12, 1927 Torson June 2, 1931 Henderson Nov. 7, 1933 Hassenfeld July 27, 1937 Lewis Aug. 23, 1938 Hampel Oct. 1, 1940 Stoddard Mar. 23, 1943 Walker Dec. 9, 1952 Wright Oct. 6, 1953 McNairy Dec. 8, 1953 

